Gradebook

Gradebook

By Tampa Bay TimesEducationGovernment
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Gradebook episodes

  • Charter schools take over a tiny Florida school district. Who's next?
    The tiny Jefferson County school district, about 25 minutes outside Florida's state capital, turned out poor student performance for more than a decade. Its finances were in peril, too, as the racially divided community battled politically over the flailing school system of about 800 students. About three years ago, the state stepped in, declaring the district in financial emergency, and then pushing an academic turnaround plan that ultimately turned Jefferson County into a district operated by charter schools. The efforts, though small in size, offered an insight into the possibilities of where the state might go with other, larger school districts that don't meet the test-based accountability expectations set by the state. WLRN radio education reporter Jessica Bakeman spent close to three years looking into the tale of Jefferson County schools. She shares her findings with reporter Jeff Solochek.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    24 min
  • Florida's shrinking spending on school capital projects
    School districts across Florida have long lists of construction, maintenance and repair projects with price tags that far exceed the revenue they anticipate getting from the state. Dozens have gone to their voters asking for sales tax increases to bolster the amount available to spend. Several more are looking that direction. Why are the local officials feeling forced to seek local solutions? The state has given what little capital funds it has to charter schools, rather than district schools, in the name of funding equity. Exacerbating the situation, the state has cut its support of capital projects by 71 percent, as a share of the economy, over the past decade. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities senior researcher Mike Leachman has been looking into the data, and talked with reporter Jeff Solochek about the implications of spending less money on keeping the schools up to snuff.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    21 min
  • Teachers are being 'voluntold' to do extra. Are schools taking advantage of them?

    Teachers have contracts with their school districts for a reason. The agreements detail what their employers can expect of them, and what they're required to do. But what about when a principal 'suggests' that something more needs to get done, and requests volunteers?

    There's no mandate to do the work, but the pressure certainly exists, along with the message, ignore at your own risk. At least, that's what Hillsborough County Classroom Teachers Association leaders are contending as they negotiate this year's employment deal with the nation's eighth largest public school system.

    Reporter Marlene Sokol discusses the union's concerns with union organizer Lindsey Blankenbaker, who worked as a high school social studies teacher before joining the HCCTA staff.

    "Go out and watch teachers leaving at the end of the day," Blankenbaker says. "I'll challenge you to find someone who's not walking out with a tote bag or a rolling cart full of papers to grade, or materials to work on."


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    27 min
  • A decline in student discipline referrals is a good thing. Right?
    Over five years, the Pinellas County, Florida, school district has seen the number of student disciplinary actions drop by almost half. You might think that means kids are behaving better, and schools are running more smoothly. District leaders like to credit the decline to new programs aimed at dealing with problems before they get out of control. But some teachers say that's not necessarily what's happening. Hear Tampa Bay Times reporter Megan Reeves discuss with Jeff Solochek what she learned while looking into the numbers.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    16 min
  • What does it take to get schools ready for students? One Florida district's summer schedule
    4,000 door locks. 97,000 wrist bands. Hundreds of hires. Millions in upgrades. Summertime offers a break from school to students and teachers. But it's the busy season for districts' maintenance, purchasing, security, transportation and other employees who use the time to prepare for when everyone returns, expecting a smooth start to the learning process. Betsy Kuhn, the Pasco County school district's assistant superintendent for operations, discusses all the work her staff has put into making sure the nearly 80,000-student system is ready for its first day of classes.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    18 min
  • Why teach? First-year Florida educator London Eaves explains
    London Eaves is excited to have her very own classroom for the first time. A Florida International University graduate, Eaves said she couldn't have imagined going into any profession other than teaching — despite all the concerns about increasing state mandates, low pay and other woes that many veteran educators have voiced in recent years. Why? Teachers supported and encouraged her as a child, and and she looks forward to making a difference in her own students' lives. Eaves attended new teacher training in her Pasco County district this week, and she spoke with reporter Jeff Solochek about her plans, expectations, and why she wants to teach.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    14 min
  • Why teach? With Florida Teacher of the Year Dre Graham
    With demands growing and respect from some declining, many teachers talk about leaving their profession. Not Dre Graham, Florida's 2020 Teacher of the Year. Dr. Graham, a music instructor at King High in Tampa, says whenever the logistics and the mandates drag him down, he remembers the "why" that attracted him to teaching in the first place: Making a positive difference in students' lives. For the next year, Graham will travel the state, serving as an ambassador for education, encouraging all involved to ensure that every student has the opportunities to learn and succeed. Some disruption might be needed. He discusses his thoughts and plans with reporter Jeff Solochek.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    23 min
  • Improving schools in Hillsborough County
    The Hillsborough County school district has struggled to boost some of the lowest performing schools in the state of Florida. Despite several efforts, including cash infusions and outside expert assistance, progress has been slow going. Reporter Marlene Sokol, who covers the nation's eighth-largest school district, discusses the initiatives taken, their pros and cons, and the future of the improvement attempts with assistant superintendent Tricia McManus and Jennings Middle School math team leader April Cobb.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    47 min
  • Why school vouchers in Florida? With Doug Tuthill of Step Up For Students
    Growth in contributions to Florida's tax credit scholarship program slowed to the point where supply no longer met the growing demand for assistance to attend private schools. State lawmakers responded by putting millions of taxpayer funds into a school voucher program, to help bridge the gap. And they show no signs of stopping their efforts to expand initiatives aimed at providing alternatives to traditional public schools. Doug Tuthill, president of scholarship funding organization Step Up For Students, sees even less restrictive education savings accounts as the logical next step. Tuthill, whose group influences state policy on vouchers and related measures, discusses with reporter Jeff Solochek the trajectory of the state's "choice" model and his rationale as a liberal for participating in the Republican-led push, which has lately has gained more bipartisan support.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    27 min
  • From the classroom to the board room: One Pasco County educator's experience
    Megan Harding began the 2018-19 academic year as a classroom teacher in her Pasco County, Florida, elementary school. Within four months, she had won a seat on the local School Board. After having touted herself as best for the job because she understood what goes on in schools, Harding next had to make the transition to policy maker and figure out what exactly that meant. She quickly became a force on the board, convincing colleagues to stream their meetings online and casting several deciding votes on critical issues. But Harding acknowledged she still has much to learn as she fulfills her role as an elected representative.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    22 min

About Gradebook

From the publisher's feed

Gradebook takes you inside the world of Florida education issues with reporter discussions and newsmaker interviews on the hottest topics of the week. Florida has been a national leader in education…